STAMFORD, Conn. – November 19, 2018 – NBC Sports presents the 2018 NHL Thanksgiving Showdown this Friday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC, as Claude Giroux and the Philadelphia Flyers visit Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers, marking the first of 13 games that will air on NBC during the regular-season. Coverage continues Friday evening, as Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks visit Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Six-time Emmy Award-winner Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk, and ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call of the Rangers-Flyers 2018 Thanksgiving Showdown from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa.

This week’s NHL coverage on NBCSN begins Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET, when Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers visit Erik Karlsson and the San Jose Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET. Coverage continues on Wednesday, as 2018 first overall draft pick Rasmus Dahlin and the Sabres host Giroux and the Flyers at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Flyers (9-9-2, 20 pts) enter this week looking to snap a three-game losing streak after winning four of their first five games in November. Philadelphia is coming off a 6-5 overtime loss to the Eastern Conference-leading Lightning after erasing a 5-1 third-period deficit to earn a point. Through 20 games, Giroux paces the team in points (24) and assists (17).

Under new head coach David Quinn, the Rangers (10-8-2, 22 pts) are third in the Metropolitan Division and have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, including a 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Chris Kreider leads the team in goals (11) and points (18).

BLACKHAWKS-LIGHTNING – FRIDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The Blackhawks (8-8-5, 21 pts) have recorded points in four straight games (2-0-2), including a 3-1 victory over the Wild on Sunday in Chicago. Patrick Kane, who leads the team in all three major offensive categories, has registered four assists in his last five games.

The Lightning (14-5-1, 29 pts) defeated the Penguins and Flyers in their recent road trip to Pennsylvania. Tampa Bay edged Philadelphia, 6-5, in overtime on Saturday, led by two goals from Brayden Point, who is tied for second in the league in goals scored (14).

The Sabres (12-6-2, 26 pts) are riding a five-game winning streak in which Buffalo has won all five games by one goal. Fourth-year veteran Jack Eichel leads the team in points (22) and assists (18). Dahlin, who has 10 points and eight assists, is tied for second on the team in plus-minus. This is the first meeting this season between the two teams.

The Oilers (9-10-1, 19 pts) look to bounce back from a two-game losing skid against the Sharks on Tuesday. McDavid leads Edmonton in assists (16) and points (28), and ranks tied for first in goals (12) with teammate Leon Draisaitl.

The Sharks (11-7-3, 25 pts) pace the Pacific Division through 21 games, and have won three of their last four games. San Jose shut out the St. Louis Blues, 4-0, on Saturday. Joe Pavelski scored twice in the victory and Karlsson netted his first goal of the season.

NBC Sports will deliver coverage of a record 109 regular-season games during the 2018-19 season, highlighted by the debut of “Wednesday Night Hockey” on NBCSN, which will showcase the network’s most diverse schedule since it acquired NHL rights prior to the 2005-06 season, as well as NHL’s current and rising stars. All games will be streamed live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app to authenticated users via TV Everywhere.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of the 2018-19 NHL season via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.